Propellant explosive



Patented Aug. 7, 1923.

U ST

PTENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR SAMUEL ONEIL AND RAYMOND ROYAL EVANS, 0F SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WESTERN CARTRIDGE COMPANY, A.

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

PROPELLANT EXPLOSIVE.

No drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR S. ONEIL and Rxnioxo ROYAL Evans, citizensof the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county ofSangamon, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in ropellant Explosives; and we do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to. which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved propellant explosive, in powderform, designed for use in ammunition of various kinds.

The improved propellant explosive of the present invention is composedof an intimate mixture or blend of nitrocellulose and ordinary blackpowder, with the nitrocellulose present in preponderating proportion,and the black powder present in sufliclent amount, e. g., from 5% to 35%by weight of the mixture, to aid in the combustion of thenitrocellulose, so that the composite roduct has improved properties, asa propel ant explosive, hereinafter more fullyset forth.

The invention also includes an improved method or methods of producingthe composite propellant explosive in powder form.

The new propellant explosive of the present invention can be made byintimately mixing and blending the nitrocellulose and bl? k powder andgranulating the m1xture or blend by any suitable method of granulation.The nitrocellulose and the black powder may thus be mixed in the desiredproportion, and the mixture rumbled in a rumbling barrel and thegranulation formed colloid the nitrocellulose, for example, by.

introducing the nitrocellulose into a regular powder mixer, togetherwith the proper amount of solvent, such as ether andalcohol; and tobring about the intermixture of'the resulting colloid with an aqueousaste con-- taining the black powder, and ma e, for ex- Appllcation filedApril 11 1921. Serial No. 460,438.

ample, by mixing the black powder dope, as it comes from the wheel mill,into a paste with alcohol and 50% water. The black powder dope, beforeit is mixed into the paste, should be thoroughly incorporated in a wheelmill in much the same manner as for the manufacture of ordinary blackpowder. The nitrocellulose colloid and the black powder paste may bemixed, for example, in the manner commonly used for the manufacture ofsmokeless powder. The mixture may be subjected to granulation by anysuit able method. The mixture may thus be pressed, granulated and driedin much the same manner as that employed for making smokeless powder. I

The resulting product will contain the nitrocellulose and the blackpowder blended together in the form of an intimate mixture or blend. Theproduct will be of a composite character, with the nitrocellulosepresent in preponderating proportion, and with the black powder presentin relatively small proportion, that is, from 5 to 35% by weight of themixture. The black powder may be of the ordinary composition, i. e.,made of sulfur, carbon and saltpetre in the usual proportions. Otheroxidizing ingredients besides otassium nitrate can, however, be used int e formation of the black powder, such as barium nitrate, sodiumnitrate, etc.

The new propellant explosive of the present invention possesses variousadvanta es which distinguish it from black 'p'owler alone and fromsmokeless powder, as well,

as from mixtures heretofore proposed containing a preponderatingproportion of black powder (e. g., around 80%) anda small proportion ofnitrocellulose (e. g., around 20%). When a small amount ofnitrocellulose is used with a. large amount of black powder, theresulting mixture partakes of the nature of black powder, while thenitrocellulose serves to stick the particles of black powder togetherand to give a cleaner combustion; whereas the-new explosive of thepresent invention presents the advantage, among others, that the blackpowder serves as an aid to the combustion of lhe smokeless powder ornitrocellulose in a produced when the powder is fired, the remainder ofthe composition being converted into a liquid or fused state by the h ghtemperature. In the case of smokeless powder, a large gas volume isobtained from the smokeless powder supplemented by that from the blackpowder, while the black powder will give a considerable quantity ofsubstances in a liquid or fused state at a high temperature, and thesesubstances will serve to maintain and equalize the teniperature of thegases produced by the ignition, thus materially airlin in the work doneupon the projectile. Tn consequence, rela tively high velocities can beobtained with relatively low pressures.

The new explosive presents the further advantage that the ignition ofthe nitrocellulose is considerably accelerated by the presence of theblack powder in the small proportions used, so that the black powderserves as an aid to the combustion of the smokeless powder. 1

When the new propellant explosive. is made by compounding nitrocellulosein the form of a solution or colloid, with an aqueous paste of blackpowder, in the manner above described, the process is advantageouslymodified by the water employed. When the powder is pressed, the water isforced toward the surface of the grain and acts as a lubricant, makinga. very free-flowing and smooth colloid. The water has the furtheradvantage of making the mixture difficult to ignite during the mixingand granulating operations, thus increasing the safety of theseoperations. With smokeless powder as commonly manufactured, if a freeflame is applied, the ether and alcohol ignite, and, as the ether andalcohol leave the grain, the nitrocellulose ignites and a very rapidburning 'is produced. With black powder, a free flame produces a flash.With the com position of the present invention, only the grains affectedby the flame will burn; and

the remainder of the powder is unaffected by the fire. The water used inthe composition has the further advantage of partly pre cipitating thenitrocellulose, thus making the powder grain more or less bulky. This isadvantageous in that more perfect ignition is reduced.

y granulating the powder, i. e., by forcing the mixture through a dieandcutting into a uniform and regular granulation, the granulation can becontrolled at all times, and a definite and uniform granulation obtained which will adapt the powder to fit the particular kind ofammunition for which it is to be fired. The granulation can be broughtabout and regulated by forcing through a die, etc, in much the samemanner as smokeless powder, for use in small ammunition or in guns oflarge calibre, etc.

We claim: 1. The method of producing a propellant explosive in powderform containing black powder and nitrocellulose, the nitro-cellulosebeing present in preponderating proportion, which consists in firstcolloiding the nitro-cellulose, then. inter-mixing this colloid with anaqueous paste containing black pow der, forcing the mixture ofintro-cellulose,

colloid and aqueous black powder through a die to form regulargranulations and finally cutting the resulting products into granules.

2. The method of producing a propellant explosive which comprisesforming an intimate mixture of black powder with nitrocellulose,the'latter being present in preponderating proportion, which consists infirst forming a nitro-cellulose colloid which is then mixed with ablackpowder paste containing water, forcing the mixture through a die andcutting the resultin product into granules 3. The method of producing apropellant explosive which comprises forming an intimate mixture ofnitro-cellulose colloid with a black powder paste containing water andalcohol, forcing the through a die, and cutting the resulting productinto granules. 3

4. The method of preduoing a propellantexplosive which comprises formingan intimate mixture of intro-cellulose colloid with a. black powderpaste containing substantially 50% water and 5072- alcohol, forcing theresulting mixture through 2-. die, and cutting the resulting productinto granules.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures. 7

ARTHUR SAIWEUEL ONETL. RAYIV'ZOND ROYAL EVAN-5.

resulting mixture

